The disclosures herein relate generally to computer systems and more particularly to a control pad provided in a palm rest.
Many users of portable computers use their computers for electronic gaming. However, use of the portable computer for electronic gaming requires auxiliary controls which must be interfaced with the computer. Thus, when travelling, for example, the auxiliary controls must be carried along as added baggage. This takes up space and can pose added inconvenience for users due to the added baggage and the added connect/disconnect time.
Some electronic games can be enjoyed by enabling existing keyboard controls. This is not ideal because of ergonomic and functional issues. Another attempt to overcome the limitations mentioned above was to miniaturize the game pads. However, even when miniaturized, they are external items which must be carried and managed by the user.
Various keyboard/palm pad arrangements have been proposed in the past to assist in user convenience. However, none of the known devices address the specific limitations noted above.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,572, a support apparatus has dual, or left and right, palm rests. The apparatus is positionable to support an item like a keyboard in various inclined positions. The dual palm rests are mounted separately on a common carriage that slides in a plane back and forth relative to a front edge of an item on the apparatus. The manner of mounting the palm rests permits each palm rest to swivel about a generally vertical swivel axis and, additionally, move about a hinge axis that extends in a plane generally perpendicular to the associated swivel axis. The palm rests are connected to sets of torsion springs or the like to normally bias the palm rests about both the swivel axes and the hinge axes for clamping.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,154, discloses a wrist rest assembly for use along the front edge of a device to be operated by a person""s hands or fingers, such as in front of a computer keyboard, including an elongated base assembly on which is supported an elongated pad. The base assembly has a top portion supporting the pad, a bottom portion adapted to be supported on a horizontal surface, and structure that allows the top portion to be supported on the bottom portion with the top surface of the pad at two different distances above that horizontal surface by switching ends of the top portion with respect to the ends of the bottom portion.
Therefore, what is needed is to provide fully functioning auxiliary controls into the existing portable computer in a manner which does not require additional controls to be carried and or stored separately from the portable computer.
One embodiment, accordingly, provides auxiliary controls to supplement the keyboard controls. To this end, a computer includes a base having an exterior surface. A keyboard includes input components mounted on a portion of the exterior surface. A palm rest area is provided adjacent the keyboard. A palm rest component is detachably mounted in the palm rest area. Auxiliary input components are mounted in the palm rest area adjacent the palm rest component.
A principal advantage of this embodiment is that the auxiliary input components are integrated into the existing computer so that additional or separate controls do not have to be carried and/or stored separately from the computer.